Men's Health

Exercise Adds Years to Men's Lives

Even a moderate amount of exercise can dramatically prolong a man's life, new research on middle-aged and elderly American veterans reveals.

According to a report in the journal Circulation, researchers found that a regimen of brisk walking 30 minutes a day at least four to six days a week was enough to halve the risk of premature death from all causes.

Brisk Walking Still Tops Exercise List

That conclusion applies more or less equally to Caucasian and African-American men, regardless of their prior history of cardiovascular disease.

According to Dr. Kokkinos, that may be because the veterans in the study all received the same level of care, regardless of income.

This evened the playing field, he says, giving him "great confidence" in the results.

In the study, Dr. Kokkinos reviewed information gathered by the VA from 15,660 African-American and Caucasian male patients treated either in Palo Alto, Calif., or in Washington, DC.

The men ranged in age from 47 to 71 and had been referred to a VA medical facility for a clinically prescribed treadmill exercise test sometime between 1983 and 2006.

All participants were asked to run until fatigued, at which point the researchers recorded the total amount of energy expended and oxygen consumed.

The numbers were then converted into "metabolic equivalents," or METS. In turn, the researchers graded the fitness of each man according to his MET score, ranging from "low-fit" (below 5 METS) to "very-high fit" (above 10 METS).

By tracking fatalities through June 2007, Dr. Kokkinos found that for African-American and Caucasian men it was their fitness level rather than their age, blood pressure, or body-mass index that was strongly linked to their future risk for death.

Every extra point in METs conferred a 14 percent reduction in the risk for death among African-American men and a 12 percent reduction among Caucasians.

Among all participants, those categorized as "moderately fit" (5 to 7 METS) had about a 20 percent lower risk for death than "low-fit" men. "High-fit" men (7 to 10 METS) had a 50 percent lower risk, while the "very high fit" (10 METS or higher) cut their odds of an early death by 70 percent.

120 to 200 Minutes Each Week Benefits

Dr. Kokkinos says, "The point is, it takes relatively little exercise to achieve the benefit we found. Approximately two to three hours per week of brisk walking per week.

"That's just 120 to 200 minutes per week," says Dr. Kokkinos. "And this can be split up throughout the week, and throughout the day. So it's doable in the real world."

"What this finding demonstrates is that levels of physical activity that should be achievable by anyone can have a real benefit with respect to risk reduction," she says.

"What's really important to understand is that you don't need special clothes, special memberships, special equipment," adds Dr. Lichtenstein, former chairwoman of the American Heart Association nutrition committee.

"It's something everyone can engage in," she says. And although we don't know from this research that this applies to women as well, there's no reason to suspect that it wouldn't."

Always consult your physician for more information.

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April 2008

Getting Started with Exercise

To be physically fit you do not have to exercise hard for long periods of time.

Experts agree that physical activity does not have to be vigorous, and recommend at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity daily, or on most days of the week.

To achieve and maintain physical and cardiovascular fitness, orthopaedists advise following a balanced fitness program - a program that includes the following:

If you have an existing medical condition, be sure to consult your physician before starting an exercise program.

Choose an activity that you will enjoy. You are more likely to continue exercising if you are doing something that you like.

In the beginning, follow a program that includes moderate, not vigorous, physical activity.

Start off with 30 minutes a day, and allow for some variety in your fitness routine - not only in the fitness activity that you choose, but in the time and setting - as to eliminate boredom with any one activity or location.

Be sure to start off any work-out/exercise session with proper warm-up and stretching exercises.

This will help to avoid post-exercise soreness or injury.

Wear the proper attire when exercising, including shoes with the proper support for the activity. Also, be sure to dress appropriately for the weather.

Just as warming-up and stretching is important as you begin each exercise session, so is a cool down period at the end of your exercise activity.

This should include at least several minutes of stretching or walking.